The Effects of Alcohol Consumption during Pregnancy on Cognitive Development of the Child



The Effects of Alcohol Consumption during Pregnancy on Cognitive Development of the Child

Abstract

This paper presents the studies conducted by several writers regarding the alcohol consumption during the pregnancy and its impact on cognitive development of child. The studies from various writers were conducting using their own methods for sampling and analyzing the studies and concluding the results. The major focus of this paper is to present the fact that either the alcohol consumption by women during the pregnancy has any adverse impact on the birth of the child or not. With this concern the studies which are underpinned in this paper resulted that the excess consumption of alcohol had a significant impact on the cognitive development of the child. However, the moderate consumption of the alcohol has lower impact in resulting any disorder if there is 100 ml consumption of absolute alcohol weekly (Forrest, 1991). Besides, the drug abuse and the smoking during the pregnancy have also adverse impacts on the unborn child.

Fetal alcohol syndrome

(Abel, E. L, 1984).

The writer of this book wrote this article because he felt the need to acknowledge the concerning effects of alcohol. The author conducted the research that last 10 years with the hope to acknowledge the social workers, clinicians, research scientists and others interested in this important issue regarding alcohol. This book focuses on the fetal alcohol syndrome and effects which raises numerous legal questions.

The alcoholic parent may sue a physician if the birth of a fetal alcohol syndrome affects the birth of the child where the physician was supposed to counsel the mother to stop alcohol consumption. Furthermore, the mother who violated the rights of unborn child by refusing to stop drinking as concern was raised by the physician. In such cases the court has authority to remove the child from mother under the Child Welfare Act due to physical child abuse which endangered the health of her unborn child as urged by legally qualified physician.

Incidence of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Prevalence of Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (Paul D, Ann P. et al. 1997)

The above article is written with the contribution among eight writers which belong to the departments of statistics, medical, behavioral sciences, pediatrics, researches and medical professionals belonging to different universities of United States. The article focuses on the alcohol syndrome and the estimates of the alcohol related neurodevelopment disorders.

Several researches were conducted with the contribution of experts from their respective fields in order to analyze the impacts on the birth of the child and diagnosing the child of the alcoholic parents. However, the studies were also conducted in other countries where the newborns were screened and the sample was taken in pediatric clinics. This study in France resulted that on average the percentage of women consuming alcohol in the beginning of pregnancy was 8.9%.

Facts for Families. Drinking Alcohol in Pregnancy (Fetal Alcohol Effects)

2012 by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

The ...